Grade 1 Sight Words

”Sight words” is the term used for words that readers should recognize instantly. Recognition is important because sight words are so frequently used—making up, by some estimates, 50 to 75 percent of all words that children are likely to encounter (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-sight-words.htm). These words are recognized and read rather than sounded out using phonics skills. Below is a list of words that by the end of grade 1 your child should be familiar with and recognize easily. To help you child, try making flashcards with the words below and practice them frequently. Begin with the easier sight words and work up to the more difficult ones.

I have personally selected the following words that I feel are appropriate sight words for a Grade 1 level. The words I’ve selected are among the 100 most common words in French. Knowing these words will not only give your child more confidence when reading texts in French but will also improve your child’s writing in French. Here is the list of words that I’ve chosen:

le

la

un

une

a

à

ma

sa

ça

ta

si

de

ne

pas

se

me

te

ce

les

des

mes

tes

mon

on

son

ton

moi

toi

ou

où

du

je

tu

il

elle

nous

vous

ils

elles

voici

j’aime

c’est

et

je suis

j’ai

qui

que

aller

sur

sous

devant

aime

frère

soeur

maman

papa

bébé

tout

maison

faire

pour

bien

non

quoi

oui

avec

ami

très

ici

rien

bon

jour

toujours

bonjour

aujourd’hui

jouer

pourquoi

parler

quand

famille

fille

garçon

aussi

petit

grand

merci

regarder

regarde

est-ce que

chien

chat

parce que

chez

après

beaucoup

dans

bleu

rouge

jaune

orange

vert

violet

brun

noir

rose

gris

lundi

mardi

mercredi

jeudi

vendredi

samedi

dimanche

If you wish to download the sight words choose the format you’d like below.

You are probably now wondering what these sight words mean. Below is the same list with a translation for you following each one. Many of these words have more than one meaning and usage. To see all the different ways these words are used in French check out the website www.wordreference.com to translate French to English.

le – the

la – the

un – a/an

une – a/an

a – has

à – to

ma – my

sa – his/her

ça – that

ta – your

si – if

de – from

ne

pas -not (ne…pas)

se – herself

me – myself

te – yourself

ce -this/that

les – the

des – some

mes – my

tes – your

mon – my

on – we

son – his/her

ton – yours

moi – me

toi – you

ou – or

où – where

du – some

je – I

tu – you

il – he

elle – she

nous – we

vous – you (plural)

ils – they (when referring to a group of boys or boys and girls)

elles – they (when referring to many girls)

voici – here is

j’aime – I like

c’est – it is

et – and

je suis – I am

j’ai – I have

qui – who?

que – that

aller – to go

sur – on

sous – under

devant – in front

aime – like

frère – brother

soeur – sister

maman – mom

papa – dad

bébé – baby

tout – all

maison – house

faire – to make

pour – for

bien – good/well

non – no

quoi – what?

oui – yes

avec – with

ami – friend

très – very

ici – here

rien – nothing

bon – good

jour – day

toujours – always

bonjour – hello

aujourd’hui – today

jouer – to play

pourquoi – why

parler – to talk

quand – when

famille – family

fille – girl

garçon – boy

aussi – also

petit – small

grand – big

merci – thank you

regarder – look

regarde – look

est-ce que – can… may… when asking a question

chien – dog

chat – cat

parce que – because

chez – at

après – after

beaucoup – a lot

dans – in

bleu – blue

rouge – red

jaune – yellow

orange – orange

vert – green

violet – purple

brun – brown

noir – black

rose – pink

gris – gray

lundi – Monday

mardi – Tuesday

mercredi – Wednesday

jeudi – Thursday

vendredi – Friday

samedi – Saturday

dimanche – Sunday

How do you pronounce these words? Check out the video on YouTube for the pronunciation:

View the sight words on YouTube:

Often students will learn the sequence of the sight words if they practice them in the same order. Try mixing them up like in this YouTube video: